Goodbye my brother
by Dragonlover501
Summary: When Sly and the gang discover that a lifelong friend has commited suicide, Sly begins to wonder what means the most to him in life. When he finally realizes is his heart, he gets the shock of a life time when Carmelita shows up.
1. Chapter 1

Why.

Sly gulped as he went up before the large crowd of people. He straightened out his speech and cleared his throat.

"Thank you for everyone who came today……last week we lost a beloved member of our community…. James B. Brooklyn was a good man, and many of us only wish there was more we could have done to prevent his death. I knew James growing up……he was an orphan just like me….he … helped me meet my two best friends in the world…..he was the brother and the father I never had…..I only wish that he could be here today…to see just how many people loved him….James, you were an amazing man….you will be forever missed." Sly finished, fighting back tears. He left the podium and sat down next to his friends.

"That was a great speech Sly." Bentley said. Sly tried to smile but he just couldn't. He and the others watched as the casket was lowered. Then they heard the twenty one shots. Sly felt like he was going to puke. He could not stand watching as one of his oldest friends was laid to rest. In his mind were a thousand burning questions, the biggest being: why?


	2. Christmas forgivness

How do I tell her?

Sly sat silently in the van as he and the gang drove back to Paris. Sly just stared out the window and tried to fight back tears. He could not believe that the bravest and happiest man he had ever known would take his own life.

"_Why? Was your life so dark that you could not remember how many people loved you? You were the closest thing to having my dad again. Jim….Why would you do this…you had a wife, and three kids…..what are they gonna do with you gone?"_ He thought. After a while the van arrived at the safe house. Sly got out and went into his room. He grabbed his cane and snuck out the window, still wearing his dress clothes. He had to clear his head. A quick run around the city would help. He began to jump from rooftop the rooftop, trying to grasp the truth that his friend was dead. He was so deep in thought he never realized that he had just dropped onto Inspector Fox's apartment balcony. He sighed and sat down on the railing. He stared out at the streets below, filled with people. His heart sank.

"I wonder….did you ever tell your wife you loved her before you hung yourself?.......You had the guts to tell the girl you loved how you felt…..I can't even look Carmelita in the eye since I told her I faked amnesia……..Maybe I'm just meant to spend my life alone….God…I love that fox….but….she'll never love me…how could she? She probably found some guy who can provide for her….all I do is get her into trouble……I just wish she could understand……..I love her more than anything…Jim….man I wish you were here now…you always knew what to say when I felt like this….Why did you have to go and…." He said trying to fight back tears.

"COOPER!?" Sly whirled around. Standing right behind him was Carmelita. Sly nearly fell off the balcony at her sudden arrival.

"Uh…I…I….I…I didn't know this was your….I …was thinking…I didn't mean to…to bother you …I….I'll leave right now… I …I'm s-s-sorry…." He stammered. He tried to get up, but Carmelita grabbed his arm and yanked him onto the balcony and off the rail. She had a tight grip on his arm. She glared at him.

"What the hell are you doing on my balcony…..I told you to never show your face around me again." She growled. Sly gulped.

"I…I…..I was just thinking…..I…I….I…d-d-didn't mean to bother you I swear…I just got back from a …..What do you care…? You'll just think I'm lying…..Bentley was right…I was a Damn fool for liking you….let go…" he said. He yanked his arm away and leapt off the balcony and bolted towards the safe house. He didn't even bother to look back at her. His heart couldn't take it. He never noticed the picture of him and James falling onto Carmelita's balcony. He just kept running.

Carmelita looked down at her feet. She saw the photo lying on the cement. She picked it up and studied it. The photo was old, it was torn slightly and had a message written on the back. She read it.

"James B. Brooklyn…….died December 23. 2009…..was buried on December 24th 2009."

Carmelita gasped. Cooper had just arrived from a funeral. That would have explained why he was in a nice shirt, pants and dance shoes, and had a tie on. Carmelita felt her heart sink into her stomach. For the last few months she had tried to deny she had any emotion for the master thief. It had made her life a nightmare the day she threw him out. She hardly slept at night, often wondering if he was alright. She often wondered if she had been too quick to accuse him of being a liar who was trying to get information. She hardly ever saw him. The Cooper gang's crime spree had dropped down to none. She went back into her apartment and sat on her couch. She sat there lost in thought.

"_So…..Cooper was just thinking….But...why was he talking out loud? Did he really mean all that? He loves me? Why would he lie to me then? Was he trying to protect me?" _she thought. She looked at the spare bedroom where Sly had slept all those months ago. She felt a tear run down her cheek. She had just hurt the one man who was willing to die for her. She clutched the photo in her hand and stood up. She went over to her closet and pulled out her coat. She was going to have a heart to heart talk with the master thief……that is, if she could get him to forgive her.

Sly sat on the top of the safe house, his cane in hand. He twirled it a few times while he thought about what he cared about most. Things were so different now that James was gone. James had been his role model…he had been a perfect gentlemen, a good soul. Sly felt tears run down his face, but he didn't care. He could only recall three times in his life that he had cried. The first: the night the fiendish five attacked his home, the second…..the night Carmelita threw his butt into the cold, and now. He took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. He stood up and shook off some of the snow on his shirt.

"Tomorrows Christmas morning……I still have nothing……my life sucks…..Being a thief is more trouble than it's worth..."

"Can I get that in writing Ringtail?"

Sly whirled around. Carmelita stood behind him. She had a small smile on her face. Sly glared.

"Go away…..its Christmas…gives a guy a break…." He muttered. He looked back to the horizon. He sighed. Carmelita frowned at his comment. Then she chided herself.

"I guess I deserve that." She thought. She walked over to him and sat down. He shuffled away from her. She could see where his tears had become small bits of ice on his fur.

"Ringtail….I…I didn't mean to say all those things to you….I was just upset….I thought ….I thought I might lose you…" she said softly. He looked at her.

"What did you just say?"

"I thought I might lose you…..I didn't want you to get hurt again……I love you Ringtail." She said softly, her face turning a bright red. Sly gave a small smile. He scooted next to her and she wrapped him in a hug. They stayed like that for several minutes….that was until his binocucom started to vibrate.

"Uhhhhghghg…..what does he want…we just got home….If this is about me having to go on a date with that weird girl he and Penelope met at the ACEs tournament, I think I'll kill him…" Sly groaned. He pulled out the bizarre device.

"What Bentley?"

"Sly….Justin's here …..You going to bring Carmelita down from the roof or what?"

"Hey! How did you know she up her with me?"

"I didn't …..You just told me."

"That's low…No more psychology shows for you bud."

"Just get down here……..And Please makes sure she doesn't have a shock pistol okay?"

"Uhhh….hold on for a sec…..Carm…You didn't bring your shock pistol did you?"

"No. And tell your friend not to worry……Besides I think I need to meet your….Family don't you?"

"Bent…we'll be down in a sec……." Sly said. He turned off the binocucom and grinned. Carmelita leaned in and kissed him on his lips. He blushed and shivered.

"Come on Carm, let's get inside……I just hope Justin didn't bring all those tape of me and the guys….or the one from prom night."

Carmelita grinned and they both got up. Then Sly scooped her up in his arms and leapt down to the ground. Then they both went inside the warm confines of the Safe house.


End file.
